Sold to Mr. Giordano

“Good morning, ladies,” Antonio says sipping a mug of coffee. He’s already dressed in a fresh suit. Dark gray, with a pale green tie. I realized now that I’ve never seen him in anything but a suit. I don’t even know what the man’s wrists look like!

“Morning Xander,” Arabella kisses his cheek and he always seems to look annoyed.

“Morning, Mr. Giordano.”

Arabella snickers. “Mr. Giordano? She sounds like the help.”

My cheeks blush.

“Call me Antonio or Alexander,” he offers.

 “Or Xander,” Arabella chimes in.

“Okay,” but I don’t make any move to call him either of those names. Maybe I just won’t address him. Calling him Antonio to his face seems weird, Xander is too casual and Alexander makes me remind the old him. “Does my brother know where I am?”

“I had Carmelo call him this morning. He is aware, he shouldn’t worry about it anyways.”

“He’s my brother, he has the right to worry!” My outburst shocks even me.

“You are not his responsibility anymore,” Antonio continues to read the newspaper unphased. “He has other things to worry about regarding the Famiglia. Now, I have business to attend to. Why don’t you and Arabella go shopping?” He holds up the gray credit card which Arabella snatches.

“I hate shopping almost as much as I know I’ll hate spending your money.” I cross my arms over my chest suddenly realizing I’m not wearing a bra and my nipples must’ve been poking out of the cotton material of my bed shirt.

“You are my fiancée, you may use the money as you please. I have plenty of it,” he dismisses by waving his hand.

“I refuse,” I say stubbornly.

 He groans and pinches the bridge of his nose. “Arabella, take her shopping. Whatever she eyes, buy it for her. I have to go,” he stands and kisses my temple before leaving.

  The heartfelt gesture leaves me shocked.All text © NôvelD(r)a'ma.Org.

 “Shopping spree!” Arabella cheers.

“Do we have to?” I groan. Arabella’s smile and giddiness disappear and I hate that I’m the reason for it. “Fine. Let me get dressed though.”

 “Yes!” Arabella cheers victoriously.

 I hear footsteps down the hall while I change out of my pants and into a pair of jeans. “I’m almost ready!” I lift my bed shirt up and over my head, I hear the door creak open. I spin around to see Antonio standing there. I wrap my arms around my chest and suck in a breath.

 “I thought you left!”

 “I forgot something, and I thought you called me.”

 “No! No I thought it was Arabella, I was telling her I was almost ready.” I notice a bulge in his tight pants and I wrap my arms closer around my chest still feeling exposed. “Please go.” I close my eyes and when I gather enough courage to open them again, he’s gone.

Quickly, I put on a bra, and light pink shirt. I snatch my purse and rush down the hall to Arabella’s room where she’s already ready.

 “You look like you’ve just seen a ghost, are you okay?”

 “I’m okay,” I nod frantically. “Can we go now?”

 “Yes, we can go. Jesus, Arielle, you look pale, are you sure you’re feeling okay.”

 “I really don’t want to talk about it. I need something to distract myself.”

Distract myself from thinking about what was underneath his pants. Wasn’t it Arabella who told me her friend told her he is hung like a horse? Jealousy now runs ramped in my brain—jealous that he’s been with other girls. I shouldn’t, I shouldn’t feel this way at all. He means nothing, I don’t know him well enough to have feelings of jealousy.

Nor should I feel envious of the girls who have rolled naked with him in bed. I shouldn’t because that is my fate less than a week from today.

I’ll lay on back and take it.

I’ll never survive it.

I’d be lying to myself if I said I wasn’t attracted to Antonio, but no matter how hot the guy is, if he doesn’t love you there’s nothing. Nothing but misery. Maybe he’ll let me have a cat before children, children he hopefully won’t want for years to come, I mean I’m only nineteen. A cat would be perfect, I could get to choose him and take care of him and he could lay with me and give me the love my fiancé is unable to give.